Such a tensioning rail is known e.g. from EP 1286083 A2. The sliding lining body is an injection molded part produced by means of injection molding and having, with the exception of the pivoting region and the press-on region, a substantially uniform thickness. On the back of the slide rail, a groove is provided, which has inserted therein a reinforcement metal sheet in an upright position. To this end, the groove extends throughout the whole pivoting area, whereas in the press-on region the groove is closed in a channel-like manner so that the reinforcement metal sheet is inserted in said channel. Both the pivoting area and the press-on region of the sliding lining body have provided thereon resilient detent tongues, which lockingly engage associated windows in the reinforcement metal sheet. The press-on region is configured as a truss structure, trussed beams supporting the press-on surface at the ends and at the center thereof. The detent tongue is arranged in one of the windows of the truss structure.
Such tensioning rails are used e.g. in highly dynamic timing chain drives for internal combustion engines. To this end, they are pivotably secured to the engine block and are pressed into contact with the timing chain by means of a chain tensioner. The timing chain then slides along the slide rail which is arcuate in shape. The known tensioning rail provides a comparatively stable structural design in combination with light weight. The reinforcement metal sheet makes the tensioning rail sufficiently stable and solid, whereas the sliding lining body provides the properties required for allowing the timing chain to slide therealong. Moreover, also the press-on surface of the tensioning piston is prevented from damage, since the tensioning piston acts on the sliding lining body and not on the reinforcement metal sheet. On the whole, such a tensioning rail proved to be useful; however, failure of the detent connections occurs every now and then, since, for system inherent reasons, the plastic material used is selected primarily under the aspect of its sliding properties.
Additional tensioning rails with detent connections are also known from EP 1245864 A2 and from DE 10161685 A1.